Night shelters underutilised: Dikshit

With total capacity of 4,600, temporary shelters house only 2,500

To improve facilities at night shelters in the Capital, the city government has constituted an advisory committee under the chairmanship of chief executive officer of Delhi Urban Slum Improvement Board to look into the problems faced by homeless people.

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday said the government has instructed, the mother NGO for homeless, St Stephens hospital and others to adopt a humane approach in providing care to shelterless people. She also directed the CEO of DUSIB to keep a check on the functioning of night shelters.

“At least 150 night shelters — 84 temporary and 66 permanent shelters — are functional across the city. It will be DUSIB’s responsibility to publicise the facilities available in these shelters to create awareness among homeless people,” said Dikshit. “It is supposed to persuade the shelterless to avail the facilities available in these shelters.”

She added that proper awareness will ensure maximum utilisation of the facilities available in night shelters. It will help in overcoming hardships faced by the homeless in spending nights in the open.  Dikshit said of 84 temporary night shelters, 70 are in portable cabin structures and 14 are working in Basti Vikas Kendras.

“All shelters in portable cabins have been upgraded to make them all-weather and fire resistant. While the total capacity of temporary night shelters is 4,600, their present occupancy is around 2,500,” she said.

“About 66 permanent shelters with a capacity of 9,000 are functioning in the pucca buildings and are under the management of the DUSIB, where at least 3,000 people have been utilising the available facilities.”

The CM said the city government is in a position to accommodate more shelterless people in the already created facilities.  Dikshit has instructed that no entry fee will be charged from the users since the winter season has commenced. An entry fee of Rs 6 is charged per head during summer. The DUSIB has been providing facilities like water supply, first aid, blankets and jute mats in the night shelters.

Dikshit added that the city government has been sensitive and caring towards the needs of homeless people and has been providing an adequate amount for the construction and maintenance of night shelters. 

A sum of Rs 600 lakh has been provided for the financial year 2012-2013.